Monsoon style guide: Essential tips and tricks

As children, the monsoon was our favourite time of the year. As adults, we have a more complicated relationship with the season. The primary reason for this love-hate relationship is the monsoon makeup malfunction. Even the lightest drizzle can be disastrous if your makeup isn't waterproof.

Here are some tips and tricks to help you weatherproof your monsoon style.

Waterproof Makeup

It's time to invest in gel-based eyeliners and waterproof mascara. If you find the waterproof mascara hard to remove, apply one layer of regular mascara, and after it dries, apply a layer of the waterproof mascara.

Avoid lip gloss. Use waterproof matte lipstick instead. To make it last longer through the day, apply the matte lipstick after applying non-oily lip balm or emollient cream.

Bright/Neon Colours

Go for bright colours during the monsoon. Colours like bright red, blue and pink along with coral and mint green offer a stunning contrast to the gloomy greys of the season.

In addition to bright colours, your eye shadow, nail paint and lipstick also work great with neon colours. Experiment with the colours to create your monsoon look.

You could also try a minimal look with one feature accentuated by a bright or neon colour while the rest has more subtle colours.

Sunscreen

It's a common misconception that one does not need sunscreen during the monsoon because the sunlight is blocked by the clouds.

Sadly, this is not true as the harmful UV rays from the sun passes through the clouds quite easily. Sunscreen is a necessity throughout the year.

Use sunscreen as you would during the summer. An alternative to using sunscreen is a BB cream with SPF. While using a combination BB cream with sunscreen is convenient, keep in mind that it is certainly not as effective as using regular sunscreen. It might not be adequate for prolonged exposure outdoors.

Dry Shampoo

Frizzy hair is the curse of the monsoon. Since the hair gets wet a lot during the monsoon, it loses its natural oils. Using shampoo often might worsen the problem.

For such situations, dry shampoo can be quite effective. Dry shampoo cleans the hair without removing the natural oils, making it perfect for hair care during the monsoon.

Cream Blush

As powder blushes can get affected by water, use cream blushes instead. Go for subtle shades, especially if you are trying bright or neon colours for your lipstick or eye shadow.